Careers in Meteorology

Looking for an entry level job or internship in meteorology? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere and its phenomena, as well as how these phenomena–that is, the weather–affect our planet.

It’s not all standing in front of a camera and forecasting the weather; in fact, few meteorologists work in broadcasting. The top employers of meteorologists include the federal government, the military, research, and private firms. You may work outdoors on occasion in order to observe the weather. A few other things you might do in a typical day include:

Collect data

Create a model of collected data

Reading and interpreting weather maps and other information

Take readings from weather equipment

Analyze collected data

A bachelor’s degree is usually required to get a job in meteorology. You don’t have to major in meteorology or atmospheric science, but take all the courses in that area possible. Additional courses in math, physics, chemistry, engineering, and computer science are also useful, not to mention excellent major choices if your college doesn’t have a meteorology major. You’ll need a graduate degree for many research positions.